The Endorsement and Quality Standards Board for Community Development Learning (ESB) was established in 1997 to provide a professional system of endorsement of quality for all types of training and learning in community development work.

The role of the ESB is to ensure the standards in training and learning for community development work and workers through the professional recognition of learning. ESB contributes to a professional community development workforce accessing high quality learning through the endorsement of different learning opportunities.

The ESB endorses a broad range of learning opportunities:

Higher degrees

First degrees and units within degree programmes which are relevant to CDW

Higher National qualifications

Work based learning programmes including Recognition

Short and long accredited programmes

Non-accredited learning

Mentoring systems

Other innovative and informal methods of learning.

Endorsing your training and learning activities is one key way of demonstrating the quality of your learning provision

Benefits of endorsement

For your participants

Participants on your learning programmes know they are working to nationally recognised standards

Participants on your learning programmes know that their programmes are organised around best practice

Participants on your learning programmes will have the added value of ESB endorsed learning under their belts and this will improve their chances in acquiring community development careers.

Participants on your learning programmes will be involved in continuous professional development that is right for the challenges of community development work.

For your organisation

As an organisation you have the opportunity to develop best practice with support from ESB

Your organisation will be seen as having the learner at the heart of your provision

You can kitemark your provision demonstrating quality in community development learning

For employers

Employers of Community Development Workers can see first hand that participants on your learning programmes have completed a period of study combining theory and practice and are competent to take on community development roles.

Endorsement Experiences

See what people who have been through the endorsement process. Click here to see information, presentations and thoughts on the process.

How to get endorsed

Contact us by clicking here. We can offer advice on what the type of endorsement is right for you.

To download the endorsement forms for courses, work-based learning and recognition click here.

Rigorous, Robust and Useful

The endorsement process is rigorous, robust and useful for those undertaking endorsement. The process is based on the National Occupational Standards for Community Development Work and involves the production of an evidence based submission, a visit by ESB teams of readers and reporters, support through the process, and a panel meeting to recommend full endorsement.

ESB readers and reporters have considerable community development work and learning experience and are competent and professional in their approach to innovation and promotion of good practice.

The whole process is useful for any learning organisation to go through contributing to rigorous and robust self-assessment that improves the chances of community development learners.

All endorsed learning opportunities have to provide annual updates showing a commitment to the very best practice of community development learning.